Þan seyd þe knyȝt, "y myȝt [myghte O, myȝt D.] be clere
Þurgh þe sacrament of þe autere."
Þe knyȝt nemnede prestes [Harl. 'p'test,' om. OD.] manyone;
Þan stode þe dedë, stylle as [stille as a D.] stone,
Line 2288
"wylt þou þan [þat O, þat þei for D.] any of þese for þe syng, [syngge O.]
Þe of peynë [out of peynys D.] for to brynge?" [bryngge O.]
Þe dede meuede hys hede [hys hede meuede O.] to & fro,
For he was payd of noun [plecyd with non D.] of þo.
Line 2292
wete ȝe forsoþe, boþe [boþe, om. D.] man and wyfe,
Þey were nat of [alle of D.] clenë lyfe;
Of hem þe dede ȝaf noun answere,
he made no fors of here preyere.
Line 2296
Neþeles, [Noþeles O, not for þan þe self D.] þe seluyn messe
ys noþer þe wursë, ne þe [neuere þe wers no of pris D.] lesse;
Þe sunne, hys feyrnes neuer he [ne.] tynes, [O. gloss 'lesyþ.']
Þogh hyt on þe muk hepe [mukhyl D.] shynes,
But þe muk ys þe more stynkyngge [mukhil . . stynkend D.]
Line 2301
Þere þe sunne ys more shynyngge. [hoot schynyng D.]
Ne [No O, no more is lorn D.] more hyt ys lore, þe vertu
Of þe messe, but [to D.] mannys pru.
Line 2304
Þogh [If D.] þe prest be fals or frow,
Þe messe, ys euer gode ynow; [a now D.]
But þe preyere haþ [preyeris of hym han D.] no myȝt,
For hys lyfe ys nat clene dyȝt.
Line 2308
Þe knyȝt nemnede one at þe laste,
A gode man, and a ryȝt [ryȝt, om. D.] stedefaste:
"wylt þou þat he preye for þe?"
Þo seyde þe dede "wel were þan me [þou seyde . . were me D.]
Line 2312
ȝyf he wuldë for me syngge,
he myȝt me of [out of D.] peynës bryngge."
